Compounding

What is a Compound Noun?

A compound noun is a type of noun that is formed by combining two or more
words to create a new noun.
Types of Compound Nouns
There are three main types of Compound Nouns:
1. Closed or Solid Compound Nouns
2. Spaced or Open Compound Nouns
3. Hyphenated Compound Nouns
Closed or Solid Compound Nouns :
Closed or Solid Compound Noun is made up by joining two words without any
spaces or hyphens.
Examples: Sunflower, Football, Bathroom, Rainfall etc.
Spaced or Open Compound Nouns :
It is made up of joining two words with a space.
Examples : Cricket bat, Fast food, Ice cream, Rain forest etc.
Hyphenated Compound Nouns :
Hyphenated Compound Noun is made up by joining two or more words by a
hyphen.
Examples : Mother-in-law, Self – esteem, Father-in-law etc.
Compound Nouns Examples
Washing machine, Greenhouse, Dining – table, Bus stop, Swimming pool,
Sunrise, Sunset, Blackboard, Whiteboard, Mother – in – law, Output, Check –
out, Check-in, Haircut, Hotspot, Smartphone, Hardware, Long lasting, Underline,
Underground, Shutdown, Input, Overthrow.
Forming Compound Nouns with all Parts of Speech
Compound Nouns can be formed by combining different parts of speech such as
noun, verb, preposition and adjective. Here we form compound Nouns with the
help of all parts of speech. A compound noun can be a common noun, proper
noun or an abstract noun.

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Noun + Noun

Noun Noun Compound Noun

Bus Stop Bus stop

Foot Ball Football

Air Port Airport

Basket Ball Basketball

Railway Station Railway station

Noun + Verb

Noun Verb Compound Noun

Sun Rise Sunrise

Sun Set Sunset

Foot Print Footprint

Snow Fall Snowfall

Rain Fall Rainfall

Noun + Preposition

Noun Preposition Compound Noun

Mother in – law Mother – in – law

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Noun Preposition Compound Noun

Son in – law Son – in – law

Brother in – law Brother – in – law

Preposition + Verb

Preposition Verb Compound Noun

In Put Input

Out Put Output

In Take Intake

Over Throw Overthrow

Verb + Preposition

Verb Preposition Compound Noun

Check In Check-in

Check Out Check – out

Break Down Breakdown

Build Up Build up

Shut Down Shutdown

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Preposition + Noun

Preposition Noun Compound Noun

Under Line Underline

Under Ground Underground

Off Shore Offshore

Up Stairs Upstairs

Over Night Overnight

Adjective + Noun

Adjective Noun Compound Noun

Black Board Blackboard

White Board Whiteboard

Hard Ware Hardware

Hot Spot Hotspot

Soft Ware Software

Adjective + Verb

Adjective Verb Compound Noun

Long Lasting Long-lasting

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Adjective Verb Compound Noun

Ever Lasting Everlasting

High Light Highlight

Long Awaited Long awaited

List of Compound Nouns

Washing machine, Greenhouse, Dining – table, Bus stop, Swimming pool,
Sunrise, Sunset, Blackboard, Whiteboard, Mother – in – law, Output, Check – out
, Check – in , Haircut , Hotspot, Smartphone , Hardware, Long lasting, Underline,
Underground, Shutdown, Input, Overthrow.
Rules for Compound Noun
1. When the compound noun is singular or a single word, make it plural by adding
‘s’ to the end.
Examples :
Underline – underlines
Hotspot – hotspots
2. When the compound noun is hyphenated or separated, make it plural by adding
‘s’ to the word that is plural.
Example :
Mother-in-law = Two mothers-in-law
Difference between Compound Nouns and Collective Noun
A collective noun is a single word which refers to a group or a team and that can
be singular or plural.
Examples :
flock = A group of birds
Troop = A group of army
Team = A group of player

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A compound noun is made up of more than one word.
Examples :
Blackboard = black + board
Ice cream = Ice + cream
Overnight = over + night
Practice Questions/Quiz
Read the sentences carefully and identify the compound nouns given below.
1. Write something on the blackboard.
2. My teacher had a heart attack.
3. They swim in the swimming pool.
4. Rahul’s father-in-law went to America last month.
5. My friend booked a dining – table for his colleagues in a restaurant.
6. In 2022, Argentina won the FIFA football match.
7. Do not drive without a driving licence.
8. Please underline the word.
9. Due to inflation, many Chinese companies shut down their company.
10. She is my mother-in-law.
Answer
1. blackboard
2. heart attack
3. swimming pool
4. father – in – law
5. dining – table
6. football
7. driving licence.
8. underline
9. shutdown
10. mother-in-law.

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FAQs on Compound Nouns
Q1. What is a Compound Noun?
A compound Noun is a noun that is made with two or more words together.
Compound Nouns are made by joining more than one word together.
Q2. What are 10 examples of Compound Nouns?
1. blackboard
2. heart attack
3. swimming pool
4. father – in – law
5. dining – table
6. football
7. driving licence.
8. underline
9. shutdown
10. mother-in-law.
Q3. What are 3 Compound Nouns?
Blackboard, Hotspot, Input.

Q4. What are 10 examples of compound nouns?

Compound nouns are formed by combining two or more words to create a single
noun that represents a specific concept or thing. Here are 10 examples of
compound nouns:
1. Toothbrush: A brush for cleaning teeth.
2. Bookstore: A store where books are sold.
3. Raincoat: A coat designed to keep you dry in the rain.
4. Mailbox: A box for receiving mail.
5. Lighthouse: A tall structure with a light to guide ships.
6. Soccer ball: A ball used in the game of soccer.
7. Airplane: A powered flying vehicle.
8. Coffee cup: A cup for drinking coffee.

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9. Firefighter: A person who fights fires.
10. Hairbrush: A brush for grooming hair.
Compound nouns are common in English and help to describe a wide range of
objects, concepts, and activities. They can be written as one word, hyphenated, or
as separate words, depending on the specific compound and language
conventions.
Q5. An easy definition of a compound noun
A compound noun is a noun that is formed by combining two or more words to
create a single noun that represents a specific concept or thing. These words can
be written as one word, hyphenated, or as separate words, depending on the
specific compound and language conventions. Compound nouns are used to
describe a wide range of objects, concepts, and activities. For example,
“toothbrush” is a compound noun formed by combining “tooth” and “brush” to
describe the tool used for cleaning teeth.

Compound Adjectives
What is a Compound Adjective?
A compound adjective is a combination of two or more words which can perform
the role of an adjective in a sentence. A compound adjective is formed by adding
a noun, a present participle, or a past participle to the adjective. In some cases,
the adjective is preceded by either of these and in other cases, the adjective is
followed by either of them. Compound adjectives are mostly hyphenated.
Definition of a Compound Adjective
A compound adjective, according to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, is “formed
of two or more parts.” According to the Collins Dictionary, “in grammar, a
compound noun, adjective, or verb is one that is made up of two or more words,
for example fire engine, bottle-green, and force-feed.”
According to the Cambridge Dictionary, “a compound word is two or more words
linked together to produce a word with a new meaning.” So, any other part of
speech that is combined with an adjective to mean something else and describe
the subject or object in a sentence can be said to be a compound adjective.
Types of Compound Adjectives with Examples
Based on the different parts of speech or verb forms that are combined with an
adjective to form compound adjectives, we can segregate them into various
types. Take a look at the table given below to find out.

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Word 1 Word 2 Compound Examples
Words

White (Adjective) Collar (Noun) White-collar Do you have a white-collar job?

Eye (Noun) Opening Eye-opening The trek to the Himalayas

(Present happened to be an eye-
Participle) opening experience for many
reasons.

Brand (Noun) New Brand-new Joshua came to college today in

(Adjective) his brand-new Audi car.

Sun (Noun) Dried (Past Sun-dried Sun-dried tomatoes seem to add a

Participle) tangy taste to the dish that makes it
even more delicious.

Cruelty (Noun) Free Cruelty-free All these cosmetics are cruelty-

(Adjective) free and affordable.

Ten Page (Noun) Ten-page The students of class VI were

(Number/Adjective) asked to write a ten-
page assignment which would be
considered for internal marks.

Cold (Adjective) Blooded (Past Cold- Everyone would think you are
Participle) blooded too cold-blooded if you continue
to behave so.

Brightly (Adverb) Lit (Past Brightly-lit The brightly-lit room definitely

Participle) elevated the mood of the entire
gathering.

Man (Noun) Eater (Noun) Man-eater The tiger that was killed was
a man-eater.

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List of Compound Adjectives Examples
Here is a list of compound adjectives that you can make use to make your writing
or speech specific and descriptive.
• Blue-collar
• Short-term
• White-washed
• Short-handed
• Ill-minded
• Ice-cold
• Grass-fed
• Home-bred
• East-facing
• Mouth-watering
• Overcooked
• Undercooked
• Deep-fried
• Seasick
• Well-known
• Tightly-wound
• Fifty-storey
• 100-page
• Last-minute
• Full-length
• Heavy-laden
• Short-lived
• Long-distance
• High-quality
• Quick-thinking
• Nail-biting

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 • Three-hour
• Record-breaking
• Time-saving
• Ready-made
• World-famous
• English-speaking
• Middle-aged
• Densely-populated
• Highly-qualified
• Long-forgotten
• Highly-respected
• Old-fashioned
• Smoke-free
• Waterproof
• Shatterproof
• Break-free
• Four-week
• Good-looking
Difference between Compound Adjectives and Compound Nouns
The main difference between a compound adjective and a compound noun is the
kind of role they play when used in a sentence. A compound adjective behaves
like an adjective that modifies the noun or pronoun in a sentence whereas, a
compound noun behaves like a noun that does or receives the action in a
sentence. A bedroom, a water tank, a washing machine, an air conditioner, a bird
watcher, a skyscraper, etc. are compound nouns. On the other hand, ill-natured,
kind-hearted, Malayalam-speaking, long-lasting, everlasting, densely-populated,
old-fashioned, etc., are all examples of compound adjectives.
Test Your Understanding of Compound Adjectives
Identify the compound adjectives in the following sentences and find out the
parts of speech which form the compound adjectives.
1. All my students are well-behaved.

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2. The villain in that movie seemed to be a cold-blooded man.
3. Gokul works as a part-time trainer.
4. Each one of us were able to make it to the top of the 100-feet high mountain.
5. The three-legged, green-eyed monster in the movie looked really scary.
6. Since you are a diabetes patient, make sure you consume only sugar-free food.
7. Find out if the widely-known singer would be available to be our chief guest
for the inter-state musical competition.
8. The marriage and reception were well-planned.
9. The movie about the life of nurses in the Middle East countries had a long-
lasting effect on the audience.
10. The ten-hour long journey was worth it.

Let’s check if you got your answers are correct.

1. All my students are well-behaved. (Adverb + Past Participle)
2. The villain in that movie seemed to be a cold-blooded man. (Adjective + Past
Participle)
3. Gokul works as a part-time trainer. (Adjective + Noun)
4. Each one of us were able to make it to the top of the 100-feet high mountain.
(Adjective + Noun)
5.The three-legged green-eyed monster in the movie looked really scary.
Adjective + Past Participle, Adjective + Past Participle)
6. Since you are a diabetes patient, make sure you consume only sugar-free food.
(Noun + Adjective)
7. Find out if the widely-known singer would be available to be our chief guest
for the inter-state musical competition. (Adverb + Past Participle)
8. The marriage and reception were well-planned. (Adverb + Past Participle)
9. The movie about the life of nurses in the Middle East countries had a long-
lasting effect on the audience. (Adjective + Present Participle)
10. The ten-hour long journey was worth it. (Adjective + Noun)

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Frequently Asked Questions on Compound Adjectives in English
Q1
What is a compound adjective?
A compound adjective is a combination of two or more words which can perform
the role of an adjective in a sentence. A compound adjective is formed by adding
a noun, a present participle, or a past participle to the adjective. In some cases,
the adjective is preceded by either of these and in other cases, the adjective is
followed by either of them. Compound adjectives are mostly hyphenated.
Q2
What is the definition of a compound adjective?
A compound adjective, according to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, is “formed
of two or more parts.” According to the Collins Dictionary, “in grammar, a
compound noun, adjective, or verb is one that is made up of two or more words,
for example fire engine, bottle-green, and force-feed.” According to the
Cambridge Dictionary, “a compound word is two or more words linked together
to produce a word with a new meaning.” So, any other part of speech that is
combined with an adjective to mean something else and describe the subject or
object in a sentence can be said to be a compound adjective.
Q3
What are the types of compound adjectives?
Compound adjectives can be categorized into different types based on their
combinations. With respect to this, there are compound adjectives which are
formed as a result of combining:
• A Noun and a Noun
• A Noun and an Adjective
• A Noun and a Present Participle
• A Noun and a Past Participle
• An Adjective and a Noun
• An Adjective and a Past Participle
• An Adverb and a Past Participle
• A Number and a Noun

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Compound Verbs
What is a compound verb?
A compound verb is defined as a verb that consists of multiple words
combined together. Compound verbs can take the form of: a single word as
in backslide or sidestep; a multiple word phrase as in open up or turn back; or
multiple words connected by a hyphen as in jump-start or double-click.
Although they may look unusual, compound verbs are still regarded as verbs.
This means they can act as a predicate, can be modified by adverbs, and must
follow all of the same rules that verbs do.
A compound verb is made up of one or more words. They’re sometimes called
serial verbs because one verb follows another. You’ll often find compound
verbs that share a subject, such as in these examples:
• John swims and runs for exercise.
• I cook and clean when I get home from work.
• The children write their name and read the instructions on the worksheet.
In these sentences, the verbs are joined by the conjunction and. But there are four
forms of compound verbs that do not use conjunctions at all. These compound
verbs use multiple words to form a single verb.

List of compound verbs

The following list gives just some examples of the many compound verbs we use:
• act up, blindside, crack down, double-dip, ease off, face down, get up, hand
over, iron out, join together, kill off, leave behind, move up, overachieve,
punch up, quiet down, redshirt, stick to, thin out, undercut, video call,
watch for, yield to, zigzag
Four types of compound verbs
While it depends on the exact grammar resource you use, compound verbs are
often divided into four main types:
Prepositional verbs
Prepositional verbs are compound verbs that are a combination of a verb and
a preposition. Unlike the next type of verb we’ll look at, prepositional verbs
often keep the literal meanings of the individual words that combine to form
them. For example, the verb talk means to speak with someone and the
preposition to can refer to direction or connection. The prepositional verb talk

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to means to speak with someone, so both the literal meanings of talk and to are
retained.
Again unlike our next type of verb, prepositional verbs typically do not separate
out and are usually followed by an object. For example, we would say I laughed
at the funny clown but we would not say I laughed the funny clown at.
Phrasal verbs
Phrasal verbs are compound verbs that combine a verb with another part of
speech, usually an adverb or a preposition. Unlike prepositional verbs, phrasal
verbs often have idiomatic meanings that are different from the individual words
used to form them. For example, the verb bring means to carry something
somewhere and the adverb/preposition up often means “to a more elevated
position.” However, the phrasal verb bring up means to raise a child, to raise a
topic, or to vomit. The meaning of the compound verb is completely different
from the individual parts.
Unlike prepositional verbs, it is possible for phrasal verbs to either be
separable or inseparable. A separable phrasal verb can be split apart and still
make grammatical sense while an inseparable phrasal verb cannot. For
example, take back is separable as it is correct to say He took back his hat from
the butler and He took his hat back from the butler. On the other hand, cut
across is inseparable as the sentence We cut across the street makes sense
but We cut the street across does not.
Unfortunately, there is no rule that says which phrasal verbs are separable or
inseparable. You will simply need to remember them as you learn them.

Compound verbs with helping verbs

A third category of compound verbs consists of verbs that are combined
with helping verbs, also known as auxiliary verbs. Examples of auxiliary verbs
include be, have, do, can, could, might, may, and will. These words are placed
before a main verb in order to form verb phrases that serve a variety of
purposes. To give one example, the helping verb be is used to form the present
continuous tense in the sentence I am eating lunch right now. As another
example, the modal verb can is often used to express ability or permission as
in Monkeys can climb trees.
Compound single-word verbs
The last type of compound verbs are compound single-word verbs. This broad
type of compound verb is formed by combining a verb with another word
(possibly even another verb) to form a new word with a distinct meaning. For
example, the word double means “twice” or “twofold” and the verb check means

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“to verify” or “to inspect.” The verb double-check combines these two words to
form a new word that means “to check twice.”
Compound single-word verbs come in two different forms: hyphenated and
non-hyphenated. For example:
• Non-hyphenated: overestimate, proofread, blackmail, backflip, sugarcoat
• Hyphenated: baby-sit, dry-clean, flash-freeze, second-guess, bad-mouth
In order to know whether a compound verb uses a hyphen or not, you will need
to consult a dictionary. If that is the case, you can never go wrong using our
fantastic dictionary to look up a confusing compound verb.

Compound verb examples in sentences

Now as per our discussion of the different types of compound verbs, let’s look at
a bunch of different examples of how we can use them in our sentences:
• The airplane took off early in the morning.
• She dressed up for the fancy dinner party.
• Bill cleaned the mess up.
• We meant to go hiking yesterday but we were too busy.
• I was sleeping during the movie.
• By the time Scott arrives, his sister will have been studying for two hours.
• The prince was double-crossed by his cruel uncle.
• The pit crew supercharged the race car with a new type of fuel.

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